Silverstone SG05/7870 dilemma...

[gigglephysix]

...as in which 7870? I like the Sapphire OC edition but am not entirely sure if i can somehow weasel it into the case. Anyone tried? To what results? Good alternatives for running cool and somewhat quiet?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Long AMD PCBs strike again!! Nvidia really know who do nice short PCBs! IIRC,an HD4870 should fit fine and is 9.5" long. However,you need to consider quietness against system temperatures too,as a blower type cooler can help.

This HD7870 is around 8.5" long:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-m...hdmi-2x-mini-d

http://uk.msi.com/product/vga/R7870-...=Specification

This HD7850 is 8.5" long too but has a decent pre-overclock and should not be too far behind an HD7870:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-g...75mhz-hdmi-mdp

http://www.gigabyte.us/products/prod...px?pid=4155#sp

This HD7850 is 7.75" long:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-m...00mhz-hdmi-mdp

http://uk.msi.com/product/vga/R7850-...=Specification

This GTX660 appears to be short,although I cannot find the exact PCB length:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-m...0-dport-dl-dvi

Both these GTX660 cards are over 9" long:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-m...098mhz-cores-9

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-g...098mhz-cores-9

[gigglephysix]

thanks. Looks like a really helpful fallback option, that MSI 7870 - i had overlooked it, because Skinflint search listed its length incorrectly, i.e. same as Twin Frozr - will know how to trust someone on the web posting figures while i'm at that i might as well recheck a few more.

[DDY]

You should be able to fit a card up to 10", maybe a tiny bit more, provided the power connectors are on the top of the card rather than the side. The trick is to preemptively place the graphics card prior to installing any other component, you need to 'insert' the card in to the case at an angle and then hold it to the side which gives you room to slide in the motherboard under it.

Here's a 9.5" HD6870 in my SG06, which as an identical chassis to the SG05.

[gigglephysix]

i'm so tempted to bite just for the challenge - but when i imagine the process of exchanging cards over delivery services, that puts me off big time.

so we have the vtx3d X-edition, xfx ghz edition and msi 7870s to choose from. the first two with a blower design (though vtx3d maybe not). unless i'm lured to the other side - 660s. i've had only ati/amd cards and have been happy, my only nvidia, 6600 in days long gone was completely glitched - so this is a leap of faith. don't worry, people, rationally i understand gtx660s are awesome - but emotionally, plus the same numbers...

[gigglephysix]

Thanks an awful lot, folks - this kind of made me think it all over again. And i decided to save a week more and am buying a 660ti this weekend (on average, smaller than 7870, nearly as power efficient and has the advantage of keeping min framerates up slightly better, plus all the little extras like physx). Reference blower design fits best - last thing i need on the passive processor heatsink is hot air. So i decided on the evga gtx 660ti sc here from Scan - reviews say the blower keeps silent under load and that's a very welcome thing.

There, maximum reasonable punch to be loaded into my little box. Skyrim mods, Neverwinter and TES Online, here i come.

still it makes me wish there was a comprehensive graphics card dimensions table somewhere.